The Guardian
by Epsarrow
Summary: Sequel to "Of the Cursed". What happens when Nathan finds out what the Reverend did? And when Duke finds out? Rated T for violence, swearing, angst, and pure vengeance!


**HAVEN**

**The Guardian**

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><p>I do not own Haven or the characters<p>

Notes: Sequel to "Of the Cursed".

Thanks for the reviews on the prequel and any here too. :D

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><p><strong>NATHAN POV<strong>

She looked incredibly small and pale against the backdrop of her hospital bed. Not even the white sheets gave her skin colour any justice. She looked, in an unconscious sense, beaten.

But no - she could never be beaten.

This was Audrey Parker that he was talking about. Sure, she looked rather... well... dead at the moment; he knew she would be okay. She always was, with a little urging in some situations, but she never lost herself for too long.

As he sat in the chair beside her hospital bed he found himself shaking with anger.

Her entire body was just boiling with fury, and those feelings he could feel as powerfully as anyone else. Who had done this?

He had fond her lying motionless on the forest floor and it filled him with terror until he saw her eyes were open, barely, albeit, but she was still breathing. And as he lifted her in to his arms he felt her slipping in to unconsciousness. Blood was trickling down her face and her chin, and he could feel her nearly weightless body still shaking from the cold and the pain. Not even sleep could rescue her from that.

He didn't bother going back for the others. The moment he saw her, she was all that his mind could process.

He carried her. Unafraid of the woods and even those two girls who hungered for human flesh, and drove her to the hospital without a second thought. The others would understand. He had to make sure she was okay before he could tell them that was going on.

Then the doctors had taken her from him and he waited for a long time, pacing with extremely irritation until, finally, one of the doctors appeared again.

She had been beaten badly, had a concussion, and broken and bruised ribs - not to mention the extensive bruising across much of her body. Then he had found out that a rib had pierced her lung and that had taken quite some time to fix.

He relaxed, knowing she was alive, but then the anger had come.

And now he waited for her to wake so she could tell him who had done this to her, so he could... Well, he didn't really know what he would do. All he knew is that no one was going to get in his way and keep him from doing it. Someone had smacked and kicked Audrey - _his _Audrey - around and left her to die. They were going to pay.

It seemed to be ages before her eyes opened, and when they did, he was up and by her side in an instant. He had been watching, waiting for those beautiful eyes to open, and he scarcely blinked as he was scared to miss the exact second she woke up.

His heart ached as he saw the fear and pain being swallowed up by a shield of determination and control.

She was always trying to be in control.

"Audrey," he whispered, his fingers lacing her still too cold fingers as he grasped her hand.

Her eyes focused on his. "Nathan." It wasn't a question.

"How are you?" He whispered, knowing her head probably ached. _Stupid question_, he thought.

"Fine," she lied quickly.

He couldn't get angry at her. His grew tightened only to be more reassuring. "What happened?" His voice dropped a little. He didn't want to pressure her or scare her. She would tell him when she could, which was hopefully soon, so he could go tear that sonuvabitch to pieces.

"I..." She couldn't bring herself to answer.

"Tell me Audrey. Please. That person won't hurt you. Ever," he promised and he meant it.

She whispered a word in to his ear. His eyes widened with surprise and outrage. _That worthless, gutless piece of -_he swore furiously in his mind, trying to hide the outrage from appearing on his face. Apparently she knew him better than he realized.

"Nathan, don't do anything stupid. Not for me," she whispered, her voice quaking with exhaustion.

He stared down at her.

"I won't." He squeezed her hand again and then rushed from the room _I won't do anything stupid. No - this is the smartest thing I've ever done._

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><p>He watched.<p>

The Reverend stood with his back turned, completely alone. All his precious followers were elsewhere. He was alone.

Nathan saw the blood on the back of the Reverends hand. His vision went red.

He exploded from across the railing and slammed in to the Reverend, his fist slamming in the man's chin. The Reverend was jerked in to the wall and their eyes met.

"Nathan," he sneered.

Nathan kicked him in the stomach before plunging on top of him.

"Cowardly bastard! How dare you hurt her!" He gasped in between punches, scratches, slaps, and whatever else he could do to damage the sneering, cocky face that was staring back at him.

"It was God who chose her fate, Nathan. It's not too late for you yet," the Reverend mocked.

"Son of a bitch!" He brought his arm back, and hands wrapped around it and flung him to the side.

He rolled, jumping to his feet.

"What the hell are you doing Nathan?" Duke stood there, his forehead wet with sweat, and his amazed glare was switching from Nathan to the Reverend and back again.

_Traitor,_ he thought, and by some force he was unaware of, he was leaping at Duke and pushing him back against the wall. "So you're in on this too? How could you do that you piece of..." He stammered several inaudible words, too angry to be coherent. "After what he did to Audrey? I thought you cared about her!"

Duke's face looked amazed.

"What? What happened to Audrey?" A look of fear came across his face that made Nathan hesitate for a moment. Suddenly he was pushed back as Duke seemed to erupt in his own fit of rage.

"What did you do?" He hollered at the Reverend who was lying on his back on the floor.

A small smile made its way across his face, teeth dripping with his blood.

They both lunged together at him and suddenly, strangely, Nathan found himself working with Duke to expend his fury.

"Step back."

A clicking sound brought them both back to reality.

They straightened slowly.

Two people stood with rifles pointed at them.

Reverend's followers.

The Reverend lay on the floor, practically insane with his own chuckling and he was muttering under his breath. Nathan and Duke shared a glance before taking off, hearing shots and running as far as they could.

Suddenly they broke in to strangled, uncontrollable laughter.

They were covered in blood but none of it was there own except for random cuts on their knuckles from where they'd hit him.

"Man... That felt good!" For the first time they seemed to share a smile over something they agreed with.

"Where's Audrey?"

The laughter died.

"At the hospital," he replied grimly.

Suddenly they were both headed to the hospital, but not before they changed their clothes which were spattered with blood.

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><p>Audrey was laying still when they both came in, and her eyes were shut tightly as though in pain. They hesitated.<p>

"Audrey."

She looked so fragile, lying there, and his throat was suddenly choked again. Her eyes opened and she gave them both a forced smile.

"He won't be around here any time soon." He smiled back.

Even sick and beaten, she looked so beautiful.


End file.
